Online shopping trends identified, JWT Intelligence report

A new intelligence report from JWT, the market intelligence associate of global advertising agency, J. Walter Thompson, has revealed a number of key online shopping trends in the US, UK and China.

The research particularly highlights important information about Millennial shoppers and how they differentiate from Generation X and Baby Boomer shoppers.

US and UK trends

The report made a case for using artificial intelligence technology if Millennials are the target audience. According to the research, 72 per cent of Millennials believe artificial intelligence would be able to predict what they want when shopping. 70 per cent of US Millennials, and 62 per cent of UK millennials, said they would appreciate a brand or retailer using artificial intelligence technology to show more interesting products when they are shopping.

Artificial technology is the new in-store restaurant

In-store restaurants might have been used once to draw in customers but in the US, Generation Z shoppers say they are more interested in stores with virtual reality or artificial reality technology (80 per cent said they would be more likely to shop at a physical store if it included these types of technologies whilst only 73 per cent said they would be more likely to enter a store if it included a dinning experience).

Baby Boomers are however less interested in virtual reality and artificial intelligence, with only 30 per cent saying they would be more likely to visit.

China trends

Although Chinese Millennials are avid online shoppers, 98 per cent of China-based Millennials are concerned that the products they buy may be counterfeit.

JWT’s Intelligence report reveled T-mall is the preferred online store for approximately 87 per cent of shoppers under the age of 49 in China.

T-mall also accounts for approximately 50 per cent of all e-commerce transactions in China.